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Boy Bedroom Stencil

February 24, 2015 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

Disclaimer: The wall stencil I received for free. Thank you Royal Design Studio Stencils for so generously gifting it to me. All opinions are very much my own.

boy_royal_design_stencilPainting is therapeutic to me, but I usually do have to do a big build up to start a room. There is something about just getting over that hurdle that is hard for me. I often joke with Matt that I would pay someone to tape off the room and prep it for me. I don’t mind the actual painting, but the prep work is what takes more time and is harder for me. I’m messy, so I have to tape and lay a little paper. Otherwise I’m scrubbing carpet like crazy. I’ve done that in two rooms so far in this house :). Whoops!

The painting is fun because you see a transformation right before you. To watch a space be dull and dead and come to life is so cool. It’s a high that makes me want to do it again and again. When we bought this house, I said I loved the paint color and would probably only paint the kids rooms. Now, I have painted three rooms and want to keep going.

With painting, I love a good stencil project. I have used stencils for years. I love making signs with them and painting small pieces of furniture like stools or a desk. I have even used them on clothing. There is something so fun about being creative yet having something to guide you and help pull off the project. I have never been super confident in painting font, so stencils have just made life easier to pull off ideas in my head. I love them.

I don’t know why when I dreamed up my boys bedroom then I started with researching wall paper. I looked for a long time to find a fun stripe, design, shape, etc. Everything I found (that I loved) was so expensive for this size wall. I finally had to scratch that idea and resorted to looking for a stencil.

Now, obviously stencils were not a new thing to me, yet I was terrified. Placing a stencil on a little piece of wood is one thing. Trying to continue that idea over such a large space-without going slanted and making sure it all looked uniform? That stressed me out, but I wanted to give it a try. We have to try new things and be brave to ever grow, right!? So, I went for it. I found this Asmir Triangle Wall Stencil on Royal Design Studio and loved it immediately. They have so many stunning, beautiful stencils, so if you when you think of stenciled walls you think of fruit on your childhood kitchen walls, you must check out the gorgeous options Royal Design Studio Stencils has to offer.

To give you a quick reminder, this was the previous owners office, so it was a gray/beige color.

boys_room2When my stencil arrived, I was impressed with the awesome directions it came with. They gave tips on how to stencil, which end was the top of it, and what pieces of the stencil were your connection pieces to build on when you have to move it. The directions broke it down for me, so literally my fear started to melt. They were great.

royal_design_stencilI got that stencil taped up and just went for it! I choose to go with a stippling effect that is much like my dry brush dabbing, so my wall would look a little more rustic. This was a beauty of not going with wall paper. I could make it my own! What I learned was using a roller might have saved some time, but it might have looked more like wall paper too. I wanted it to look more stamped, so not completely filled in solid.

stenciling_a_wall

dabing_paint_stencilMy hand got so tired. It started slow because I was really cautious to exam every little insert to see if they had the same “heaviness” of paint. It got faster as I became more confident. I got the hang of how much paint to put on the brush, how much looked right in a section, how to dab in the middle and then move out the sides with lighter dabs (so there was less likely a chance of paint oozing below the stencil). It got faster. My technique was to do about three or four stencil placements, before I would take a break. Usually at that point my kids needed me and my hand could use a break. This process took a couple of days. I didn’t work non stop on it because of life and the size of my wall, but I did want to get it done quickly, so my boys could stop camping out on the living room floor.

hanging_a_stencil

Process_of_stenciling_wallOne thing that I learned towards the end of my project was to just make it my own. The directions were so helpful, but at the end of the day this was my wall. Well, really it is my boys wall but you know what I mean. I cut my stencil up. I hated to do so, because I knew I loved the wall before it was even done-but it helped!

You can see in that picture right above, there are slots missing on the left side where the stencil wall meets the corner. I ended up cutting my stencil in half and then even into smaller like two triangle sections. It helped to go back and fill in the areas I needed too without trying to move the big stencil and making sure it was all level.

final_stencil_touches

stenciling_cornerThis wall was so worth it. I absolutely love it. My boys do too. It really has me rethinking our loft bunk bed idea. I wonder if I can convince them that twin beds are cool after the inspiration picture I showed them!? I don’t want to cover up the wall! We haven’t hung anything on it yet either. Except for my son’s beloved basketball poster. The wall inspires me, and I’m so proud I overcame a fear and tried something new. It looks great, right!? My walls are older and kind of bowed, so it’s not perfect, but you can’t tell.

fun_boy_bedroomI did go back with a small acrylic paintbrush and touch it up in a few places, but other than that I wanted it to look more stamped, rustic and I think we pulled that off. The boys love playing in their room.

stencil wall

chalkboard-Wall

boy_bedHave you ever stenciled a wall? I am so glad I tried this. I am now dreaming up Reagan’s bedroom and already have a stencil picked out for it. I can’t wait to start it!

boy_bedroomThank you so much for checking out my boys bedroom stenciled wall! Please feel free to share a picture from here on Pinterest and be sure to stop by Royal Design Studio and see what beautiful stencils they have to offer! You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay in touch.

I hope you are having an awesome week! Get out and try something new this week. You wont regret it!

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Dreaming Big (my boys bedroom plans)

January 14, 2015 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

There are moments as a mom when I sit back and just watch my kids through different eyes. Do you ever do that? Sit and watch how they talk, their little quirks, and try to burn it all in your memory forever?

When I can quiet the to do lists and tasks playing over and over in my brain, I have a much more free heart to savor these miracles in my care. They really are masterpieces.

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 presetI love how Caleb just hungers to be near and talk to me. He will come in the room literally just to tell me something. He notices the small things and confidently gives out compliments. He has a bold aggressive spirit that just wants to succeed and do it on his own. When he pours himself into something, he is relentless and can succeed at anything. He’s so smart and self teaches himself daily. I often wonder why we ever bother doing school. Most days, he will finish my explanation of a lesson for me.

I love how J loves to give really big tight hugs. In his eyes, a hug doesn’t count unless it feels like I am pulling him up with me when I stand. He is stubborn, and when my stubbornness meets his-it usually produces some pretty epic fails. He reminds me the heart battle is more important than the issue at hand. He is hilarious and often smirks and says the most witty things. He is as slow as a snail unless it is for something he wants.

I love how Reagan often tilts her head to the side as she talks. She slurs some words and I hunger on those remains of her young-innocent toddler days. She is independent and fierce. She has enough sass to make any grown adult feel self conscious. She giggles with her huge locks of curls thrown behind her. She is gorgeous and has the most beautiful roll out of bed look I’ve ever seen. She loves to have her back scratched and I find myself doing it as often as she’s in arms reach because it is about the only way she will let me hold her.

My kids are rocks. I think of this past year and how we turned their whole world upside-down with becoming foster care parents. They had to share their parents, lives, home, schedule, things and life in a new way. They not only accepted it, they embraced and did it with us. It was a team effort and I could not be prouder. We then sold their home and moved them away from all their family and friends. It’s been a big 12 months, and now I want to create such special places for them.

When I think of how I want to design their bedrooms, I know I want to incorporate so many elements that just make them feel special, valued, loved, and excited. I want to create a space that has them dreaming, creating, playing and of course imagining.

I hinted that I had huge plans for my boys bedroom when I shared their chalkboard wall. Today, I want to share a first for me. I want to let you see the mess in my head. Here are my ideas for their room…

boy_bedroom_inspiration1. Caleb is obsessed with sports. We didn’t end up finding a house with a basement, so we knew he would need a basketball hoop in his room instead. He saw one he liked at Walmart, but it would have been like the third or forth one we have had. The little plastic hoop breaks so quickly. Matt’s parents found this one for Caleb for Christmas, and he loves it. At any one moment, I can have a sweaty boy running and jumping…even with a snow covered driveway.

2. I think I mentioned in our new home tour, that the boys’ room was the previous owner’s office. They have lots of different lighting and places to add a fun industrial take on those light fixtures. These lights I saw online, but we will figure out a DIY version because the $489 price tag was a little steep for us.

3. You may remember my boys had Transformer decals in their last bedroom. Their newest phase is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, so we decided together we had to have their two favorites turtles for their room. Whenever they dress up or play turtles they always pick their favorite, Raphael and Donatello. For as much as I loath posters, I adore RoomMate decals!

4. There is never enough accent walls and patterns in my house. I want the walls to be as inspirational as the things placed on them. It’s a blank canvas waiting to be transformed. I am so excited to use this Royal Designs Studio stencil in their room.

5. Now, my J loves animals. They have a special place in his heart. When he is outdoors his stubbornness melts and he is the sweetest thing. I have to figure out a way get some nature in his room. We might do some plants and get their fish tank going again, but I also want to hang some stuffed animals on the wall (as you will see in a picture below inspired me) like this sweet moose.

6. We love the simple look of this stuffed bear I made. So adding some simple designs with bold patterns are a must.

7. Again, I want this first winter living in what I call North Mountain (for all you Frozen fanatics, you know what I mean), to be awesome. I want to be proactive in getting that little boy energy out, so they don’t get in trouble swinging from chandeliers. I love the idea of figuring out a way/space to add a climbing wall and I found these rocks.

Now, let me show you one of the funnest bunk beds I have ever seen. When I saw this picture from The Hut, I knew we needed to use it to inspire our boys’ beds. Matt is going to build the boys a bunk bed, and I love the tree house, simplicity and fun of this bed. What a fun way to also have a spacial nook in a room that you share!? We might need two of these.

bunk_bedI am also planning to create a little wall gallery with some of their art or things that I have already made them. We are going to hang up their batman board game.

DIY_batman_party_gameWe definitely need to hang this Batman felt garland back up. It was above Caleb’s red dresser in their last room and looked awesome.

Batman_party_decorI painted this sign years ago. It’s funny I showed it on our very first blog. This project alone started me dreaming of this blog now. So, cool to still have it. I’m forever thankful I didn’t sell it.

let_the_wild_rumpus_startI still like the hanging basket we had above J’s dresser too.

kids_dresserI love the idea of this felt pennant, but I would want it to say “be wild”.

DIY_felt_pendentAs you can see, we have lots of projects and are definitely dreaming big. Why not!? We only live once. There will be lots of love put into these projects, and I will take you on the journey with us. It will be fun to see if the final reveal has some or any of these elements.

DIY_boy_bedroomDo you have or know a little boy that would like this room too? Please feel free to share this post. I’d also love it, if you pinned it to one of your Pinterest boards! Inspiring others to dream big will always be one of my favorites things about this blog.

I hope and pray you can imagine and create this week. We all might not have a full day to create or start the kind of project that a tree house bed requires, but maybe we can find an hour. Carve an hour out of your schedule or mark it on your schedule, before it is claimed for you. I will too.

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Disclosure: This post does include affiliate links, but all feelings and opinions are my own.

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My Boys’ Room Inspiration

January 11, 2015 By Erica Deuel Leave a Comment

I grew up sharing a room with a younger sister. It is hard stuff to blend two different personalities, styles, behaviors into one little space. Kind of like marriage, right?

Looking back, those late night whispers, singing, and even complaining about whose side belonged to who are some of my favorite childhood memories.

Even if we had the space for our boys to have their own room, I would still make them share. I hope and pray they grow up with memories of those same little whispers, we often hear well after we have tucked them in for the night. My boys are best friends and they would tell anyone that is true. We didn’t get very far in designing their last bedroom. We had huge plans, but it was one of the last rooms to start tackling and as soon as we had space and time to really dive into it, we moved.

Now that we are in our new home, I am dreaming up a space for them that they will love.

Our boys are very different… one is all sports and people, the other is more timid and is in his element in the quiet outdoors exploring. As I have thought about how to create a space that both boys love (and that helps us in the long, cold winters), I came up with one element that would be the inspiration for the whole room.

They needed a chalkboard wall.

boys_wall_inspirationIt is funny to me that this will be the third house we do chalkboard walls, yet I have never shown you HOW I do my walls. I am obsessed with them, and I want to quickly show you how you can create one too.

First off, Rustoleums Chalkboard paint is my absolute favorite. It’s the first one I used four years ago, and I still love it today.

chalkboard_paint1. To prep your wall, you simply wipe it down with a damp cloth to remove any dust or grime.

2. I use painter’s tape to frame in where I want to paint. I am a messy painter, so the tape helps me to stay off the window trim and adjacent walls. If you didn’t want to paint an entire wall like we do, you could also use painters tape to measure off a section of wall to create a smaller chalkboard.

using_painter_tape3. I then use a paint brush to cut in all the edges of my paint surface.

4. Next, I start rolling. It is very important to use a roller nap for a smooth surface. Light even strokes are important to create a smooth finished surface. I try to go slow to prevent much spraying and to ensure that the paint is going on evenly. After the wall is painted, I let it dry four hours and do a second coat. Since we are in a slightly colder climate this time around, I let it dry longer. I painted the first coat one afternoon and the next afternoon I did a second coat.

painting_a_chalkboardDo not worry if the paint looks more navy while it is wet, It will dry a really pretty dark, soft black.

chalkboard_paint_color5. Once the wall has two coats and is dry, we wait three days before we use it. Before writing on it, it is important to condition the wall by rubbing the side of a piece of chalk all over the surface and erase. This will create a layer of chalk dust that provides the best erasable surface later on. You should then wait seven days before using a damp cloth to wash the wall. This ensures the paint has fully cured for chalkboard mode.

Now, of all the wonderful ideas I have for this room, I can promise you this next picture shows TWO things that I did not have in my design.

falcons_postersOh the posters… I loath them. I think I literally shrieked when my brothers gave those to Caleb for Christmas. Caleb shrieked as well but his was from delight. Those posters are not what I had planned for my boys’ room, but it is their room. I hope they have the memory growing up that their mom let them have a say in their room.

There’s still a huge section of this wall that can be used for drawing and writing. I hope it helps them to dream and create. I see some tic-tac-toe games in our future here while also using it during some of our homeschool lessons. I know it will get used as its intended chalkboard purpose, but I actually love the soft black color for just a wall in general too. Seeing the posters up on the other half of the wall (and the rich color that helped his posters pop {shesh those posters}), gave me an idea for another wall in the house to paint with Rustoleum Chalkboard paint too. I will show you more of that room soon!

So, do you love chalkboard walls too? Do you have a child obsessed with something that includes lots of posters?

Do you have any posters that you may or may not secretly hope they keep falling off the wall?

I am excited to share with you more of what we have planned for this room soon! For now, it’s one of the first projects we have tackled other than unpacking boxes. I hope you have a great week and get the opportunity to create!

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Disclosure: I received the Rustoleum Chalkboard paint for free, but all feelings and opinions are my own. This post does include affiliate links.

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Happy 6th Birthday Caleb!

March 14, 2013 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

Caleb made me a mom.  As I have been sitting here thinking about what I would write, I don’t know what to not write.  He is such a sweet, sweet boy.  My heart swells with pride.  Caleb has a gentle spirit and loves to help others.  He is always complimenting and thanking those he loves.  Just today I heard blocks banging in the living room.  I walked in to see who was pouring them out, and it was actually Caleb picking them up that was creating the sound.  He turns to see me and says, “I just wanted to help you.”  What!?  As sweet as he is, he is also the funniest kid I know.  He is hilarious and can crack jokes that leave us dying laughing.  Matt and I say all the time how we could see him as a comedian someday.  He has a curious spirit that loves to know and explore.  He likes to figure things out and be really active.  He loves to play sports, dig in the dirt, and work with tools to create things.  He is incredibly creative and can think and create projects that leave me wondering “How did he think to do that!?” He is a cool kid.  I am incredibly proud with how smart he is.  He knows how to tell time and is doing an incredible job learning to read on top of my bad and often really wordy explanations of rules.  I often tell him how he is one of my best friends and that it is a complete joy to be able to hang out with him all day everyday.  I love this kid.  On top of everything, I am most proud of his humility and realness.  One of my favorite moments with him is listening to him pray.  He loves Jesus and strives to live a life of love.  He is my daily reminder that life is not perfect but it is good.  What a masterpiece God has made in Caleb.

caleb loves (small)

Interview with Caleb…

I had a little interview time with Caleb yesterday to help mark this season of his life, so I don’t forget all his favorites.  Please enjoy his answers…

1.  What is your nickname?

C-Dawg

2.  What is your favorite color?

Red and White (WheelJack colors)

3.  What is your favorite animal?

Tigers.  They have orange and white stripes.

4.  What is your favorite TV show?

Transformers

5.  What is your favorite song?

“Party in the house tonight…” (Party Rock Anthem by LmFao)

6.  What is your favorite breakfast food?

Pancakes

7.  What is your favorite snack?

Lemonheads and crackers with cheese

8.  What is your favorite outfit?

Black shirt with jeans and cool tennis shoes and a hat

9.  What is your favorite game?

Basketball

10.  What is your favorite toy?

Any Transformer toy

11.  Who is your best friend?

Cole and J

12.  What is your favorite thing to do?

Hang out with my family

13.  What is your favorite thing to do outside?

Pretend to be Transformers

14.  What do you like to take to bed with you at night?

My Transformers, my blanket, and my water bottle

15.  Where is your favorite place to go?

Chuck-E-Cheese because there are cool games there

16.  What is your favorite restaurant?

Chick-fil-a

17.  What do you want to be when you grow up?

WheelJack (A Transformer)

18.  Who is someone you admire?

Mom and Dad…they protect us.

19.  What is something you DON’T like?

When I can’t fall asleep at night

20.  How old are you?

6

cool boy

Happy Birthday Caleb!

Today, we are excited to celebrate our boy and just having fun as a family.  Thank you so much for checking in!  Tomorrow, I will be back with items that I LOVE and think are a must for your craft area or that can jump start your DIY ways.

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**Thank you Someplace Wild for the AMAZING picture we used to create Caleb’s 6th Birthday Loves List.

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